The Vision of A.B. Paterson College had its birth in 1990 when four close friends over a meal pondered the education of their children, that of their future grandchildren and the future for young families on the Gold Coast for years to come. They saw a need for a school of substance, a school that celebrated our Australian heritage, a school with traditional values, and yet one with a progressive mindset to education within a caring and supportive environment. From this humble meal and initial discussion, the Vision of A.B. Paterson College was born.

Mission: To challenge the individual to achieve and to act with purpose and character.

Central to the very heart and core of the College is the aim of developing young men and women of character – leaders now and for the future. Our Mission underpins all that we do, whether it be in our challenging and dynamic academic programme, the sporting arena or within our Arts curricula, our students develop the intellectual character to become passionate about the ongoing pursuit of learning; they develop the skills and confidence to succeed in an increasingly complex world; and become committed to a positive future for the good of all, through leadership development, service and active participation in their communities.

Motto: Excellence, Care and Commitment

The College Motto of Excellence, Care and Commitment pervades all aspects of the College and is emulated by students, staff and parents.

In joining our community, students, parents and staff share in the obligation to uphold and exemplify these ideals by aiming for excellence in all that we do; by actively demonstrating a genuine care and advocacy for all people; and by committing themselves to the Values of the College, the ideals of our community and to act with integrity, honour and compassion.

In its short history, A.B. Paterson College has developed magnificent facilities, core traditional values, a leading teaching and learning framework, and is now integrating numerous technologies to greater assist and help students learn and connect responsibly with their world, and is providing the foundation for genuine leadership development in all young people.

The A.B. Paterson College teaching philosophy and methodology stems from the Teaching for Understanding (TfU) framework as developed by Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education.TfU is about exploring, debating, arguing, problem-solving and making plans. TfU moves beyond behavioural goals and the concrete – it is about wielding what you know, thinking with it, reasoning with it, inventing with it.

It has enabled our leading staff to gain a wonderful insight into what motivates young people to learn; the support structures they need to learn effectively; and the nature of the tasks required for students to demonstrate their understanding.